Speech #570065298

Why should we say that an educational test shall be established instead of adopting some other method? Simply because the educational test comes nearer to accomplishing what we want to do with as little risk. as little expense to the Government of the United States as any other method that can be devised. I recognize. as I said yesterday. that the educational test is not always a test of intelligence. but what we want to do is to encourage immigration to this country from northern Europe. We want. the Swedes. the Norwegians. the Frenchmen. the German. the Irishmen. the Englishmen. the Scotchmen. and persons from intelligent Europe to come here. We want to keep our lands open for them. Now. sir. the statistics show that of the people coming from that portion of the world as immigrants to this country only about 5 per cent can not read. 95 per cent can. Therefore. of the select class of immigrants that we want. we shall. if this amendment be adopted. get 95 per cent and shall only reject 5 per cent. On the other hand. of the class of immigrants that we do not wantthe people from southern Italy43 per cent of those can not read or write. as the statistics show. but really the percentage is greater. because these statistics have been gathered by simply taking the word of the immigrants when they come here. without making any actual test. We have simply taken their own statements. Therefore if we are right in wanting to exclude that class from admission into the United States. then by the adoption of this amendment we exclude 43 per cent of this undesirable class and only 5 per cent of the desirable class of immigrants. This test is to be made at the port when they arrive here: but the steamship cQmpany that gathers them up and brings them herethe steamship company and their agentswill apply the testbefore they leave the country on the other side. because under the provisions of .this amendment if the immigrant can not comply with the test the steamship company must return him to the land whence he came. Therefore very few who can not comply with the test will come here and need be returned. Now. why should we adopt the amendment? I say it is as much our duty to protect our country against undesirable immigrants from Europe as it is to protect the children in our homes from undesirable society. [Here the hammer fell.]